Winter Warmth
by Sketchy788
Summary: Magnolia is hit with a colder than usual winter. Romance blooms during a lull between jobs.
1. Chapter 1

Magnolia, Fiore.

An unusually cold winter. Crime was at a temporary low. As a result so were job requests. With a few exceptions (predictably Gildarts) most members of Fairy Tail were enjoying some time off.

Lucy kind of half-watched the antics of her guildmates from a corner booth. Trying to write, knowing that the hall wasn't the best place to concentrate.  
Somehow, not surprisingly, her attention shifted to the pink haired boy at the bar. Natsu was devouring some sort of fried …thing…? while at the same time in deep conversation with Mira. Nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary.

Yet…

If she were being honest…

…No. Don't go there, Lucy.

Now wasn't the time to start thinking about feelings, not in a crowded hall. Not less than twenty feet away from him.

She sighed. Shook her head to get focused. Bundled her things back into her bag, then started to make her way out of the hall.  
"Hey! Lucy! Wait up!"

"Hm?" She looked up, smiled. Tried not to blush. "Oh. Hey, Natsu. What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you something."  
"Okay. Ask away." Her smile came easier this time.

"Wanna go out sometime?"

"Out? Like…you and me? Together? In public?"

"Yeah, like a date. Want to?"

She'd known him long enough to know when he was just kidding around. He wasn't, not now.

"Sure, that sounds fun. How about tomorrow afternoon?"

"Great!" Full smile, fangs flashing and all. "See ya then!" With that he took off.

"Alright. See ya." She waved after him, unable to keep the smile from her face. As she made her way home she wondered what adventures tomorrow would bring.

One thing was for sure: There was no such thing as a boring day for a Fairy Tail wizard.


	2. Meltdown

Lucy fell asleep that night smiling. She woke up the next morning freaking out.

What the hell was she thinking?! Her? Natsu? A date?! Putting aside her confusing personal feelings on the subject, there were oh so many things that could go wrong…

So of course every single possible bad scenario played through her head.

Fights breaking out, leaving entire city blocks engulfed in flames…

Having to wash dishes, all dressed up, because *someone* ate too much and couldn't pay the tab…

Trying to look all glamorous, only to slip and fall into a large mud puddle…

Motion sickness. Sweet Mavis, the horrible possibilities of THAT…

Happy spreading gossip…again…

All this made her sense of terror intensify. She wailed. Loudly.

To be fair it wasn't really anything against Natsu. A bit derpy, yes. Short fuse? Definitely. But he had a good side. Enthusiastic. Determined. Even sweet when the situation called for it. Plus he wasn't exactly rough on the eyes…

 _Ding-ding_

The doorbell's chime pulled Lucy out of her thoughts. Suddenly she realized that it was 10 in the morning, and she was sitting in her pajamas, on her bedroom floor, wailing.

Oops. Time to regroup.

She got up. Took a deep breath. Opened the door.

"Mira? What are you doing here?"

"Well hello to you too." Giggle. "I figured you'd be freaking out. I'm here to give you a little pep talk."  
"What? I'm not freaking out. Everything's f-"  
"Nice try, Lucy. Come on." Mira grabbed Lucy by the sleeve and led her to the kitchen. "Now, sit."  
"Yes, ma'am." She sat.

"I heard about your little date this afternoon."  
"You…did?" Pause. Realization. "Ohhh, so that's what Natsu was talking to you about yesterday."  
"Yep!"  
"And…this isn't a dream?"

"It's not a dream. You've noticed how protective he is with you, right?"

"Y-yeah, but that's… because we're…friends…isn't it?" Lucy faltered. Mira was shaking her head, smiling.

"Natsu really does like you. He just has an interesting way of showing it."

"I'll say. Protecting and perving." The words were almost harsh. Thing is, Lucy was smiling, blushing, one hand on her cheek. "What do you think, Mira?"

"I think the look on your face says everything. You already make a good team, and I think you'll make a cute couple too. Just give it a chance."

"You're right. Thanks!"

"No problem! I should go, though. You still need to get ready."

She couldn't argue with that. Mira left with a wave and a smile. Lucy, then, was on her own.

Sure, she was still feeling a little nervous, but not as bad as before. She got dressed. Fixed her hair. Put on makeup. Smiled.

It was going to be a great afternoon. She just knew it.

 _Ding-ding_ …


	3. Chapter 3

_Ding-ding_

The sound sent Lucy's heart straight to her throat. Gulp. No time to panic, not now.

 _Ding-ding_

 _Ding-ding_

 _Ding-ding_

 _Ding-ding_  
Ooooogh. She grumbled, then opened the door. Lo and behold, there was Natsu, prying Happy off the doorbell.

"Hey, Lucy. Sorry about that. Someone decided to be a little blue smartass." He scowled.  
"Come on! Where's your sense of humor?"  
"It's alright. I thought it might be some kid causing trouble. Close enough."

"Yeah, I guess so!" Fang-showing smile. Then he quirked his head at the cat. "Okay, buddy. You know the plan. See you in a few hours."  
"Aye, sir!" Happy flew off. This left Natsu smiling at Lucy. It also left Lucy feeling a little (okay, a lot) shy. She shrugged it off as first date jitters. Completely normal, right?

Well, she had never had a first date quite like this one.

"Gotcha something." He pulled something that looked like a small tropical flower out from his scarf, then handed it to her. It was a hair clip. _How pretty…_ she thought.  
"Aw, thanks!" She clipped it to her ponytail, securing it with a bobby pin just in case. "How's that?"  
"You look great." Natsu flashed another huge smile, one thumb up. That same hand was extended to her. "Ready?"

"You bet." She took his hand. Predictably warm. Unpredictably comforting. Strong, of course, but with a gentle touch. "So what's the plan?"

"You'll see."

"You're not even going to tell me?"

"Nah. It's called a surprise for a reason."

"I get that but a hint would be nice." Now this was predictable. Natsu Dragneel being almost childish. In this case, Lucy found it oddly endearing. Cute, in fact.

"Okay, fine. Think winter lights."  
Winter lights…? That…wasn't much to go with. Try as she might, she couldn't figure it out. What was he up to?  
"I got nothing."  
"Good. That way it's still a surprise. Now c'mon!"  
Under normal circumstances, Natsu would be completely clueless about this whole date thing. Even now, without Mira's expert advice, he still would be.

Training, fighting, and kicking ass, he knew. Girls? Not so much.

He also knew that making Lucy smile felt even better than torching the crap out of some monster. Sure, she sounded a little irritated about all this secrecy. But he was sure, positive, that once she saw where they were going, she would smile.

Yeah!


	4. Chapter 4

Several minutes of walking later, Lucy still had no idea where they were going. It was a little annoying, but at the same time she liked the thought of a surprise.

…Unless, of course, Winter Lights was the name of some new cheap buffet. She really hoped that wasn't the case.

Also, was it getting brighter…?

Suddenly Natsu stopped in his tracks.

"Is something wrong?"

"Ssh. Sounds like trouble."

Heavy footsteps. Labored breathing. Yeah, she heard it too. Sure enough, a guy ran into the street clutching a purse. Somewhere behind him they heard someone calling for help.

Natsu tensed up, snarled, started to bolt towards the guy. Lucy stopped him.

"No. Wait."

"Huh?!"

"If you go charging and flaming he'll just run off. I have an idea." She shifted her hand to her whip. He got the idea. Grinned.

"Go get him."

She could have done any number of things in this situation. Call upon a celestial spirit. The tried and true Lucy Kick. But she really wanted to use her whip.

So she did. She waited for exactly the right moment, aimed...

Suddenly the thief was faceplanted in the snow with the whip around his ankles. The purse was knocked out of his hands. She picked it up.

"This really doesn't go with your outfit."

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry just let me go okay?!"

"Get lost, creep." She retracted her whip. He bolted...but not before Natsu sent a fireball right at his ass.

"That's for interrupting our date!"

Lucy turned to him, arms crossed, intent on yelling if the look on her face was any clue. He knew that look well.

 _Crap, I'm in for it now_ … he thought. Only...

She was...giggling. Not scowling. Giggling.

"That was fun!"

"Fun, huh? Man, I really am a bad influence." Teasing. He watched, smiling, as she gave the grateful lady her purse. Then he put an arm around her waist. She didn't mind, although it did make her blush. "Let's go."

A nod, then they took off. By this point Lucy was beyond curious. What was his plan? What was he up to?  
…No mistake, it was getting brighter…but why…?


	5. Winter Lights Revealed

Lucy didn't have to wait long to find out. Two blocks later, Magnolia seemed iridescent. Misty lights and ice sculptures were everywhere. Wizards were vending tasty treats and souvenirs, while others worked at game stalls. She watched everything with wide, incredulous, eyes.  
"What do you think?"

No words could express how she felt, not accurately.  
Lucy loved festivals. Yet for the past eight years she had managed to miss every single one in Magnolia, due in part to the Tenrou incident, not to mention the nastiness with Zeref, the demons, and…Well, it was a miracle they were still alive, a miracle she refused to take for granted. She hugged him, face buried in shoulder and scarf. Then, barely audible. "..thank you, Natsu."

"You're welcome." A slow, cautious hand stroked over her hair. "Hey, you're not gonna cry, are ya?"  
"Nuh-uh. I'm just happy."

"Good. I'd rather see you smiling. Besides, mascara smudges are hard to wash out."  
"Dork…" Playful shoulder punch.

She peeked out from his shoulder and glanced around. The sun hitting the fresh snow and ice sculptures created a glittery effect.

"So pretty.. "

Natsu couldn't help grinning.

"Glad you like it. What do you want to do first?"

"M-me? You want me to pick?"

"Yeah! Go ahead. Call the shots."

"Okay..Let's go!" Lucy grabbed his hand and took off. She wanted to see and do as much as she could.

So that's what they did.

They shared snacks. Played games. And as the day went on, Lucy wanted to browse through the vendors. Natsu went along with it.

He was a bit surprised when she handed him a small bag, though.

"What's this?"

"A souvenir. I know you like your mementos."  
It was a wrist cuff. Sturdy black leather, accented with a gunmetal dragon.

"Badass...Thanks, Lucy." He put it on, slipped his old cuff into his pocket. Then he stepped closer and kissed her cheek. Instant blush.

"Y-you're welcome."

She was surprised. Hell, so was he. He didn't just go around randomly kissing people, but in this case...it seemed natural. The real surprise, to him, was that she didn't smack him for it.

Instead she smiled. Suddenly the evening seemed even brighter. Before Natsu could think of anything clever to say, though, he heard something interesting.

Lucy's stomach roared. One simple sound broke the tension and made them both laugh.  
"Oops. Guess it's been a while since we had those snacks."  
"Guess so. Follow me."  
"O….kay?" She didn't see any other option. He took off, past the vendors, past the games, past the restaurants…That didn't make any sense. What was he up to?  
"Natsu?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Where are we going?"  
"You'll see. Come on!"  
…Not this again, she thought, racing to catch up as he ran up a rather steep path. Lucy had no issue with surprises, but for a fleeting moment she wondered if maybe, just maybe, Natsu had gone too far.  
…At least until she saw their destination. They could see everything from that hill, all the lights, the festival, even the guild hall. And there was Happy, setting up a picnic at the small table. Natsu quirked his head at her, raised an eyebrow, grinned.

So she hugged him again. She was warm, the night was cold. Natsu definitely didn't mind.

He built a small fire. They sat together, ate, watched the auroras flash across the sky. At one point Lucy even rested her head on Natsu's shoulder…at least until Happy pelted him with a snowball.  
"What the hell was that for?"  
"Sor-ree! You looked like you were both about to fall asleep! What else could I do?"  
"I don't know, maybe something besides throw snow at me?"

It was a ridiculous argument, about as serious as Plue in a clown suit. Lucy couldn't help giggling, then yawning.

"I guess it is getting kinda late. I really should be heading home."  
"We can walk you back, if you want."  
"I'd like that. Thanks."

So they walked, side by side, hand in hand. They took it slow, yet time seemed to fly by. Too soon, they had reached her apartment. He squeezed her hand. Smiled, then turned and started walking away.

Lucy, meanwhile, was going through a little inner turmoil. She couldn't just let him leave like that…not after such an amazing day… Blushing, she called after him.

"Natsu! Wait!"

Midstride the pair stopped. Lucy ran over.

"I forgot something."

"Ok. What?"

She didn't reply. Grabbed him by the scarf, pulled him close. Smooch.

Soft. Sweet. Entirely too fast. He hugged her, resting his forehead on hers. "Finally…" Chuckle. "...told you it wouldn't kill us." A second kiss. Something awakened in him, something new. Smoldering. Fierce. Primal.

 _Mine. She's mine._

Draconic instinct? Years of pent up tension? A mix of both? Or maybe just hormones? No clue.

He just knew it felt good. Right. Perfect.

One hand strayed south, went for a booty grab. He expected certain death for it, but it was worth it. Totally.

"...perv." Not stern, not mad. A whisper with a giggle. "Good thing we looove each other."

"Hey, that's my line." Happy piped up. Honestly Lucy had forgotten he was even there, still perched on Natsu's shoulder.

"Come on, man. Don't ruin the moment!" He glared at the cat, then turned a softer expression to her. "Love, huh?"

"Yeah. I think that's what they call this." That's what it felt like, anyway. There was nothing platonic about that kiss, much less the way he was holding her.

"Works for me." A kiss on her nose. "See ya tomorrow?"  
"You bet." She nuzzled his scarred cheek. "Sweet dreams."  
"What about me, Lucy?"  
"You too, Happy." She reached over and scratched a furry blue chin. "Night, guys."  
"Night, Luce." He kissed her cheek. Then slowly, reluctantly, let go of her, nodded to Happy. "Let's go."  
"Aye, sir!"  
In no time the pair were airborne. The moment Natsu's feet left the ground he was cheering. Loudly. Lucy heard him, and she was sure everyone in town could, too.

Still, it was sweet, even if it was predictably overboard. She watched them fly off, waving, unable to keep from smiling.

For once she was glad that job requests had been scarce…


	6. Chapter 6

Nobody was really surprised that the hothead dragon slayer and the blonde celestial wizard were a couple. Quite the opposite. Most of the guild shrugged it off as inevitable, with some wondering how it had taken so long.

Things didn't change much.

Slowly job requests trickled in. Natsu grabbed one of the first ones, and quickly rounded up Lucy and Happy for backup.

He didn't realize that the client lived halfway across Fiore until it was too late.

Trains.

Urf.

Which is how this journey started. Within a couple minutes Natsu was slouched against Lucy, whining.

"That's what you get for not checking the location first."

"I know, I know...ugh.." He slipped, faceplanted right into her cleavage. "Nice pillows."

"Seriously..." she made a face. Then she pushed him down to her lap. "Stay there and close your eyes."

"Like I have a choice."

"Do you want me to help you or not? Lay down."

"...yes ma'am."

Hands went to his shoulders, rubbing carefully yet firmly. Relaxing helped more than he thought it would. For that matter, so did keeping his eyes closed. She poured a few drops of healing potion into her hand and got back to work.

Natsu took a deep breath, exhaled slowly.

"Luce?"

"Yeah?"

"Sorry I left."

"Don't worry about it. Water under the bridge." Sure, the memory still stung a little. But he was back now. That's what mattered.

"I missed you… every day…" If he had anything else to say, it was lost in a snore. Well, it worked. He couldn't get barfy if he was out cold.

"It'sh true, Lushee." Happy offered in between bites of mackerel. Gulp. Swallow. "I think he missed you more than anyone else."

"Really..." She glanced down at him, stroked his hair. "..he'd never admit that."

"Nah, but I know it's true." Stretch, yawn. "Is it working? Is he okay?"

"Yeah. The potion should keep him knocked out for most of the trip."

"That's good. I could really go for a catnap right now."

"Go ahead. I'll make sure you two are up on time."

"Aye. Thanks, Lucy."

The nap gave her some time to think. She took full advantage of this. The only sounds were Happy's snoring and Natsu's sleeping mumbles.

"Don't hurt her…"

"Ssssh, I'm fine." She kept stroking his hair. It seemed to work with keeping him calm. Plus, how had she never noticed how soft his hair was...?

Maybe because she never had cause to think about it. Just like she had never really thought about how she hated seeing him in pain, be it in battle or motion sickness.

But she did. He was Salamander, a powerhouse. One of the strongest wizards ever.

That didn't make him invincible.

How many times had he nearly died fighting for the guild? For his family? ...for her?

Too many to count.

Yet she knew him well enough to know he wasn't about to stop any time soon.

All she could really do was stay with him. To stick by his side and fight.

That was why she had started researching, making, and carrying health potions. Support was as important as physical or magical strength.

And she wanted to keep him safe. He wasn't the only one who could be protective.

"..Lucy..hey.." Another sleep-murmur. She looked down at him again. Eyes still closed, smiling.

Snore.

So peaceful. Such a contradiction to his fiery personality.

Idea. One she wasn't exactly comfortable with, but whatever. She had to calm down, to stop freaking out over little things.

Like, say, the idea of kissing his forehead.

Hypothetically.

Hypothetical or not, nerve wracking or not, she wanted to.

Her face felt like it was on fire.

Why not? Everyone was asleep. Nobody was watching or anything.

She mulled this over for several minutes.

 _Oh whatever. Just do it already!_ And why not? It wasn't like they hadn't kissed before. It wasn't like she hated it. Quite the opposite, in fact. For an overgrown child, Natsu knew how to kiss…

 _JUST DO IT LUCY!_

She closed her eyes, leaned over, brushed some of his hair away, kissed his forehead.

There.

...wait...

Right away his goofy smile became a grin.

"Nice wake-up call, Lucy."

No way. How long had he been awake?! Oh well, it didn't matter. Not really.

"Thanks. Still feel gross?"

"Nope. I feel great, thanks to you." He opened his eyes. Yawned. Stretch. "Are we almost there?"

"Yeah. Maybe ten more minutes." At this precise moment Lucy realized something: she was still stroking his hair. She stopped. "...oops. Sorry."

"Don't be. I like it." He sat up, kissed her cheek, grinned. The sun was setting. A few beams of golden light hit her eyes and hair.

Wow...

Of course, Lucy turned to look at him just in time to notice his expression.

"Wait. Natsu, are you...blushing?"

"No. I mean, yes...so what? I just noticed that you look really pretty." He pulled his scarf up over his face. Tried to, anyway, until she tugged it right back down.

"I'm not mad, bonehead. You're adorable when you blush."

"Adorable?" Sweatdrop.

"Don't go all Elfman on me. I meant it as a compliment. You can be cute and manly at the same time, you know." She poked his nose. He made a face. "See? There you go."

"I guess." Pout, scowl. "I can still kick anyone's ass."

"Definitely." Giggle. He took full advantage of the way she quirked her head, pulled her into a kiss.

Natsu was really starting to like this whole kissing thing.

Feeling her cuddling against him, the way her soft skin seemed to warm up with each touch...plus, duh, getting to touch and even grope without feeling like he could lose an arm in the process.

Time seemed to slow.

...wait, maybe that was just the train.

"Are you two going to stop making out long enough to get off this train?"

Nothing like a reality check from a flying blue cat.

Ding-ding.

The train stopped with a loud squeal. Natsu hopped to his feet, grabbed the bags, helped Lucy up.

"Let's go." Wicked grin, eyes blazing, hints of blush from the last kiss lingering. Her face felt warm. Like, he could kiss her a thousand times, and she knew it would still have the same effect.

Not bad, not at all.

As soon as they got off the train he stopped.

"What is it?"

"I have an idea. Want a ride?"

"Uhhh...sure?"

"Hop on!" He crouched down, gestured to his back. She shrugged away any uncertainty. After all, he had carried her around before. She climbed up. Hands around his shoulders, strong arms holding her secure. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Just don't drop me."

"I won't!"

Zoom. Through the crowds, past a few disgruntled pedestrians. Pigeons scattered in a feathery flurry.

And Lucy? She was laughing the whole time.

There was really no such thing as a dull moment. Not in this guild, not with Natsu.  
She wouldn't want it any other way.


	7. Chapter 7

Things rarely went as planned. Everyone in Fairy Tail knew that, especially our heroes. Still, logically, shit had to hit the fan at some point.

It hit as soon as they got to the inn.

"What do you mean there's only a single room!?"

"Look, it's either the single room or nothing at all. We've been slammed with people all week."

They exchanged glances. Natsu nodded. Lucy sighed. It was either this or camp out, which wasn't optimal in the middle of winter. They could deal with a little minor irritation if it meant sleeping inside on a potentially frigid night.

Of course, that minor irritation wasn't ignored.

"Who's sleeping on the floor?"

"Nobody. The bed's big enough for all three of us, right?"

"I guess so." Blush. "Promise you won't try anything, and that you'll shower first?"

In love or not, she wasn't about to sleep next to his travel funk. Ew, no.

"Sure thing." He held out his pinkie finger. She got the hint and hooked hers with his, unable to resist smiling.

"Good. Now go bathe, stinky."

"Fiiiine. C'mon, Happy."

"But why? I don't stink!"

"Maybe not, but if you don't let me change in peace you'll be eating dirt, cat."

Gulp.

"Aye.. Natsu, wait for meeee!" In the space of maybe two seconds he flew from the pillow he had perched on, past Natsu, into the bathroom.

"Hey, toss me the soap."

"Aye!" The bar flew through the air. He jumped, caught it right before it could hit the wall.

"Thanks, pal." Lather, scrub, scrub, accompanied by humming some random tune. Meanwhile Happy was brushing his teeth.

"I don't get why girls are so picky about being clean."

"Me neither. It's just a little travel dust." He lathered and rinsed his hair. "I gotta admit it feels good, though."  
"Yeah, yeah. You're just saying that cuz you're whipped."

"Whipped? I don't know." Shrug as Happy flew out again. Truth be told he didn't care. He just wanted to make her smile, after all.

...although he didn't think that sleeping next to her was a bad thing... if anything it was a chance to keep her warm and safe.

Plus, duh, he liked her smell.

He dried off. Got dressed, wrapped his scarf around his hair. Brushed teeth, then went back to the room.

She was reading. Laying on her tummy, legs kicked up, nose buried in a book. Happy was already snoozing on a pillow. Typical cats...

He stretched for a few seconds, then lay down. She didn't stir. Odds are she was too engrossed in her book.

Big surprise. Not.

Natsu chuckled and rested his head on the pillow. Closed his eyes, although he did open one to peek at her every so often. Smiled to himself.  
Eventually she shifted, shut her book, snuggled under the covers. Shaky sigh. Nervous. She was nervous. Lucy Heartfilia, renowned celestial wizard, was feeling nervous about sleeping next to him? Right then and there he made up his mind to set this right. He turned to his side to face her.  
"Luce?"

"Hm?"

"You trust me, right?" One hand extended toward her.

"Of course." She put her hand on his. Two seconds later he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. "…Natsu?"

"Yeah... I just wanted to tell you..." He cupped her cheek in his palm. "No matter what happens, I love you."

"That's… definitely reciprocated." A few happy tears fell. He brushed them away with his thumb.

"Reciprocated?"

"It means that I love you too, idiot."

"I knew that." Sly grin. "I just wanted to hear you say it."

"Natsu you sneak..." Her scowl lasted all of two seconds before she giggled, yawned. His expression softened. "...you keep looking at me like that…"

"Like what?"

"Like...like a dragon guarding treasure."

"I can't help wanting to protect you." Hands brushed over her hair. He could have said more, could have launched into one of his speeches about friends being a treasure, but didn't. Didn't want to ruin the moment, not when she was smiling at him.

She rested her head on his shoulder. Yawned again.

"I was wrong about you."

"Huh?"

"You really are boyfriend material..."

"Oh. Thanks." He wasn't sure what she meant by that, only that it was a good thing. "You're okay, right? Not too warm or anything?"

"M-hm. Super comfy. Night, Natsu."  
"G'night, Lucy." Forehead kiss. "Sweet dreams."

She closed her eyes, and was about to fall asleep when she heard something. A song, something that almost sounded like an old lullaby. She'd heard him sing before, but that was usually whatever raucous tune everyone else was jamming along to at the guild hall. Not like this..

"Pretty song…"  
"Thanks. It's just stuck in my head. Maybe my mother used to sing it to me." Shrug, yawn.  
"Keep singing, please. I like it."  
"Alright…" Soft chuckle. She cuddled into him, more than happy to let his voice soothe her to sleep.

They did have a busy day ahead, after all…


	8. Chapter 8

Trolls were a problem in northern Fiore. They were especially problematic considering that the region's main export was sheep.

When our heroes arrived at the Sweet Wasabi Farm, signs of this problem were everywhere. Huge muddy footprints. Stomped out shrubbery. Oh, and shredded, bloody wool clumps.

"Jeez. No wonder the farmer needed our help."

"Y-yeah." Lucy let out a shaky sigh. "This is like something out of a horror movie."

Bang. Bang. The ground shook. Lucy gasped. Natsu grabbed her hand. An amazing amount of comfort in a simple motion.

"We've got this."

Their eyes met. She nodded. He let go, ran over to the troll, fists blazing...

...and was immediately knocked back on his ass.

"Na...Natsu?!"  
"I'm fine!" A thumbs-up gesture from the pile of rubble.

It didn't seem to be going well. But then, Fairy Tail battles tended to get off to a rough start. They knew that, had plenty of experience with that.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

"Happy, take Lucy and get her away from here."

"What?! No way! I'm not leaving you to face that thing by yourself!"

"Whatever you say..." Truth be told, he didn't mind. The thought of fighting side by side with Lucy made Natsu smile.

Even as the troll knocked him on his ass again, his grin remained.

Ding. A blur of red hair. A flash as Loke attempted to use Regulus. A loud bang as the troll's rocky fist swatted him.

"Sorry, babe. Gotta run."

"I'm not your babe! Get back here!"

She pulled out another key in an attempt to call forth another spirit, any spirit. The troll beat her to it, flicking her down with a single finger.  
Yelp.

Big mistake. Huge. It didn't matter how big an opponent was. Messing with any of Natsu's guildmates was a bad plan.

And hurting his girl was downright fatal.

This bastard was gonna pay.

She lay crumpled against the rocks, covered with dirt, hair a mess. Hurt. Not quite as much as during the Games, or the Tartaros fiasco, but hurt regardless.

Somehow he managed to resist the urge to char broil the troll on the spot. He picked her up and ran, carrying her to a nearby cave. Set her down gently, glancing her over for injuries.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks." Siiiigh. She rested her head on his shoulder, scratching Happy's ear. "...what are we going to do?"

"Kick some troll ass." Growl. He shifted and she felt the warm weight of his hand on her waist.  
"No kidding, but how?" Brow furrowed, Lucy tried to think. Natsu's hand shifted slightly. Lucy heard her keys jingle. Gasp.  
"Aha!"  
"Aha what?"  
"I think I know how we can beat that thing." Smile, blush. "Let's try a little teamwork."  
"Teamwork? Weren't we already trying that?"  
"No, dummy. I think she means a unison raid, but they're really tricky."  
"Tricky or not, we can pull it off!" Full fanged grin and eyes blazing.  
"Glad to hear. Ready for a little target practice?" She held out Sagittarius's key. The look on her face was a mix of smug determination and excitement.

He loved that look.

"Hell yeah!" He grabbed her hand. Kissed where their fingers met. Grinned again as he noticed how fast she blushed at the simple action. "Let's go!"

So they escaped the cave. Lucy stopped. Summoned Sagittarius, transformed into his star dress. Tried not to think about the way Natsu beamed at her.  
"Guess I'm not useless anymore, huh?"  
"You were never useless, Luce." Bang. Bang. BANG. Before she could say anything, the troll stalked over, sending a spray of pebbles in its wake. Summoner and spirit aimed their bows. Natsu put one hand on the small of Lucy's back, fire engulfing his free hand. The atmosphere sizzled. Lucy could feel the heat of his magic rippling down her arm, felt flames wisp from her fingertips and through the magic bow. Heat. Power. Adrenaline. Is this what he felt in every battle?

If it was, being a fire mage must be incredible.

"Heart's raining star fire!" The words, shouted in near tandem, echoed through the valley. Flame and arrows blasted through the air. Their attack went in waves. The troll's tough skin was slowly, but definitely, pierced. It let out a weak roar as it fell face-first into the ground, shuddered, then moved no more.

Lucy exhaled, dropped her bow, jumped right into Natsu's open arms.  
"We did it…We really did it…" Breathless laugh. She squeezed his shoulder. "That…that was awesome…"  
"It was, thanks to you. You really are something, Lucy." Their eyes met for a split second. Right when he was about to kiss her, she made the first move. Brushed her soft lips against his. Melted his heart for what had to be the millionth time.

Perfect.

…at least it was until he heard her stomach roar, joined mere seconds later by his own.

"Oops. Guess beating up trolls really works up an appetite."  
"It sure does. Now c'mon. Let's get back to the inn for some grub!"  
"Aye! I'm famished for some fishies!"  
"What? You didn't even do anything!"  
"I was your moral support! I was cheering you both on from the sidelines."

Lucy couldn't help smiling over this exchange, which lasted throughout their walk back. It was always amazing how they could go from fear in the height of a battle to exchanging ridiculous banter over lunch plans in the space of a few minutes.  
Always amazing, for sure. Just like so many of their adventures…


	9. Chapter 9

He kissed her when they got back to town, took her by surprise, left her speechless. Then he took her by the hand and led her on a seemingly random path through the streets.

"Wait...Natsu...where are we going?"

"You want lunch, right? I figured we can do a little sightseeing at the same time."

He flashed a grin. Made her blush a bit. Sure, he was a hothead. But there was no denying that his impulsiveness had its perks, like eating a meal in a cozy diner far from home.

It was a nice little place. Dim electric lighting accompanied by a candle on each table. Booths, each with a view of the village outside.

Aside from the distinctly northern decor Lucy thought the place would fit right in in Magnolia. She twirled her noodles around her fork, munched, watching her companions. As usual Natsu ate like he had never seen food before, while Happy worked on devouring a fishie.

"Ish someshing wrong?" Natsu asked between bites of meat.

"Huh? Oh. No. Everything's great. I'm enjoying this trip a lot more than I thought I would." She smiled. He swallowed, put his hand on hers, smiled right back.

"That's good to hear."

After finishing their meal, our lovebirds walked around town. They explored the sites hand in hand, with Happy flying above their heads.

Natsu even picked up a typically ridiculous souvenir at a gift shop. True, he didn't really need it, but that wasn't the point. If he wanted to be the proud owner of a pair of ram horns, Lucy wasn't about to stop him.

Especially when he looked so enthusiastic and adorable trying it on, complete with sheep noises. She giggled, then blushed.

"Here. I got you something too. Check it out!" He held up a rather shiny, sparkly pendant on a braided cord. Then he slipped it over her head and onto her neck, careful not to tangle her hair with it.

She picked the pendant up, turning it over to get a good look.

"This is so pretty. Thanks, Natsu."

"You're welcome." Hug, then they got back to sightseeing.  
-

At long last the trio made it back to the inn. They watched the sunset, enjoying such a peaceful activity after a busy day.

"Hey Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember like a year after we met, when you wanted to borrow Virgo to find that secret treasure?"

"Kinda. Why?" Oh yeah, he remembered. Hard to forget when she had been so utterly pissed.

"Well...I'm sorry I was so mean to you back then. You didn't deserve it."

"It's alright. I was kinda fibbing, anyway."

"F...fibbing? About what?"

"I didn't want to see Virgo. I wanted to see you. I figured out I have a crush on you, only I didn't know how you'd take it. So I ah, chickened out." No mistake, Natsu Dragneel was straight up blushing. "That's also part of why I left you a note after...you know. I knew you'd be upset, and I didn't want to see you crying. I'm sorry, Luce." His voice trailed off. Dammit. She was crying right now.

Fuck. Fuck. Fu-huh?! She tackled him, buried her face in his scarf and hugging him.

"...Lucy?"

"Natsu you absolute dumbass. I would have gone with you in a heartbeat."

Now he was just conflicted. Protective because she was crying, enamored over her words. Raw instinct took over. He lifted her chin, glanced into her eyes for a moment, then kissed her so deeply it made all their other smooches seem platonic.

Yeah...this was right... She hesitated a little, just enough for him to notice, then leaned into it.

Gods, he wanted to take this further, but that instant of hesitation changed his mind.

Not yet.

Lucy sighed once they broke away, bit her lip.

"I...I should take a shower."

"Go ahead."

"Kay..." She got up on her tiptoes, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, blushed, and headed to the bathroom.

Once she was gone Happy spoke up.

"What was that all about?"

"Don't worry about it, buddy." He got changed, wrapped his scarf around his hair.

"Is it because you're in loooove?"

"Yeah, I guess that's part of it." Chuckle as he lay down, then yawned. In no time he was dozing off, with Happy snoozing peacefully above his head.

-  
Lucy had a lot to ponder. And ponder she did. She lathered up, reveled in the warm water, and thought.

This whole relationship thing... she had to admit she liked it. It wasn't all that different from when they were 'just' friends, although with the welcome addition of kisses and cuddles.

She trusted him with her life. Always had, always would.

Once she had dried off and slipped into her pajamas, she climbed into bed. He wasn't quite asleep, but also wasn't fully awake. He was awake enough to whisper a question.

"Lucy? Do I scare you?"

Huh?! Where did this come from?

"No, Natsu. Now sssh." Another cheek kiss. She rubbed his shoulder, knowing it would relax him. "Go back to sleep."

"Night, Luce. Sweet dreams."

Seconds later he was snoring, leaving her alone with her own thoughts once again.

He didn't scare her. No way.

The thought of taking their relationship to another level, however, did. It scared the hell out of her.

What if they weren't compatible in that way...?

She sighed. Absently started rubbing his shoulder. Found herself taking note of certain details. Toned muscle, tan skin, the familiar warmth. And, of course, his hair. So soft, such an unusual color for a guy. Yet, try as she might, she just couldn't imagine him with a normal hair color.

Normal was boring, anyway. He was the opposite of boring. He was fire, energy, emotion, chaos, and hope wrapped up in one amazing bundle.

And he was absolutely incredible in her eyes, loud snoring and all.

Another sigh turned into a yawn. She lay down next to him, set her head on his shoulder. His arms shifted to curl around her. Even in sleep, he was always ready to protect her, to hold her close.

She had no problem with this. He liked holding her, she liked being held, loved being so close to him.

Privately, she admitted she also loved his scent. No, not the gross travel funk he had after a particularly long journey. But his normal smell. He smelled like camping. Like nature, fresh dirt, burning wood, clean air. Familiar, comforting, oh so different from the refined perfumes of her old high society life.

Natsu was quite different from those stuffy rich boys her father had been so intent on marrying her off to. Maybe, Lucy pondered, maybe that's what the initial attraction was.

There was indeed attraction, certainly a shared chemistry that had potential to ignite some appealing flames...

...well, she thought with a blush and a yawn, THAT was a dilemma that would have to wait until they were back in Magnolia.

That decided, she kissed his cheek. Snuggled up under the blankets, thanking all her lucky stars that she had managed to fall in love with her best friend, that he loved her right back...

 _~~~_

 _Dream._

 _"Natsu…Don't stop. Please…" Soft, sweet, yet she sounded different…Turned on. What a sound… He kissed her neck, taking in the taste, smell, and feel of her skin. Wanting nothing more than to worship her utterly, completely…_

He awoke startled. Eyes wide, breaths shaking, length throbbing. Uncomfortable? Yes. Unfamiliar? Hell yes. Unpleasant? …No. Far from it.

But still very, very awkward.

Slow exhale. He glanced down at her, relieved that she was still asleep. He shifted away from her, slipping out of bed without disturbing her slumber. Kissed her forehead, then snuck to the bathroom.

What a predicament.

No, predicament was an understatement. He felt betrayed by his own brain and body, staring into the mirror and taking slow, deep, breaths.

It could be worse, though, he realized. She could have woken up.

 _Wouldn't have been so bad…_ A dark thought, sinister…demonic. Fuck. He fought back, determined not to let the etherious win.

Bad? It would have been horrific. He could have broken his promise not to try anything. Could have hurt her.

He could deal with random erections.

He couldn't deal with the thought of making her cry. Not now, not ever.

 _Take her. Take what's yours._

 **NO.**

Snarl. He slammed a fist down onto the counter. He refused to see her as an object like that. She was a beautiful, brilliant human being with goals, dreams, and a heart bigger than all of Fiore. And he would protect the woman he loved at all costs.

Nobody, not even a damn demon, could change that.

Now on to dealing with that *other* problem.

He got in the shower, cranked the cold water as high as it would go. Stood in the frigid downpour, inhaling and exhaling slowly. Feeling every drop of water as it splashed against his skin.

Natsu hated getting cold. But hey, it worked.

Well worth the shivering.

He dried off, re-dressed, slipped back into bed. Lucy stirred, opened one eye.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Weird dream, that's all."

"Oh..alright. Night-night." Yawn. She cuddled into his chest, rested her head on his shoulder. Warm. At peace. Ah, much better. He kissed her forehead and stroked over her hair, smiling to himself when he heard her snoring.

It took a while for Natsu to fall asleep that night, but when he did, he slept with a smile...


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning our heroes headed back home to Magnolia. Somehow Lucy managed to upgrade their tickets to a sleeper, which would make Natsu's motion sickness a bit easier to deal with.

She also made fast work of rubbing her healing potion into his forehead before they even left the inn.

So by the time the train departed, Natsu was practically passed out on the bunk. Lucy was cuddled next to him, stroking his hair while he clutched her other hand in his. Aside from the rare sleep mumble, he didn't make much noise.

Happy curled up on a cushion, glancing at his human companions with what was definitely amusement.

Lucy spent most of the journey touching Natsu. Tracing over the scars on neck and cheek. Ruffling his hair. Snuggled closer...and was pleasantly surprised when he wrapped his arm around her, half snoring a single word.

"Mine."

She blushed. The dragon was protecting his treasure, apparently. On one hand it was so weird to hear him sleep talking like that.

On the other...it was sweet. Unusual, but still sweet...

So sweet, so comforting, in fact, that she dozed off next to him. All three were awoken some time later by the blaring of the train's horn signaling they were back in Magnolia.

Natsu walked Lucy home, hand clutching hers, not saying much.

They got to her door. She looked up at him, blush spreading across her face.

"Y...you can stay a while if you want." Lip bite, well aware that her heart was racing.

He smiled, touched her cheek.

"I gotta take care of something, but I'll be back later."

He saw the sad look in her eyes at the first half of his response. Decided that he needed to take care of that as well.

"Oh..Okay. I wanted to write for a while anyway..." She bit her lip, not sure how to proceed.

Natsu made his move before she even realized it was coming. Put his hands on her waist, kissed her. Gently, yet with a spark neither could ignore.

She sighed as the kiss broke, a sound that caught his attention and made him smile.

That was a happy sigh, although with a trace of something else. Longing? He hoped. A little sadness that they had to part ways for a while? Likely.

"See ya tonight..."

"Yeah..." Pause. She kissed his cheek, blushed profusely. Waved as Happy carried him off, then went inside to gather her thoughts on paper.

She opened her journal and wrote...well, she wrote about what was on her mind. Which at that moment was a certain pink haired dragon slayer...

 _Natsu..._

 _Out of everyone in the guild he captivates me the most. Flames, fighting, and chaos. Yet at the same time he can be caring and compassionate._

 _Especially when friends are in danger._

 _Especially me._

 _It doesn't make sense, yet it does._

 _He's nothing I ever expected._

 _He's all I can't live without._

 _I love him..._

Meanwhile Natsu and Happy ended up at the hall. Happy immediately took off to attempt to flirt with Carla. Natsu sat at the bar, waiting for Mira to finish serving a customer.

They had a rather long talk, with Mira wanting to know all the details about the mission and their relationship. He faltered a bit, fidgeting with his drink and remembering the previous evening.

Lisanna set a tray down, took one look at Natsu.

"You're in love. This isn't just some schoolboy crush."

"Duh. That's not the problem."

"Chill out, Natsu. I'm only saying what I see."

"I know. Sorry." Swig of beer. "I know I love her. I know I wanna take it further, but I dunno if either of us is ready for that, ya know? Especially since..." gulp. Mira quirked her head.

"Since what?"

"Dragons mate for life. Traditionally, anyway." Brief glance at Gajeel and Levy flirting heavily in a nearby booth. "I think slayers inherited that habit too."

"Ohhh. I get it now." Mirajane had hearts and stars in her eyes. "You want to marry Lucy!"

"Wait, what? No. I just love her and want to be by her side forever."

Poor, clueless Natsu. He didn't see the connection even if it was obvious.

Thankfully Mira was patient.

"If you marry her you can be."

"She'll kick my ass for asking."

"No she won't!" She crossed her arms and glared at him. "I've seen how you two interact. You've loved each other for years, even if it took you long enough to figure that out."

"Yeah..." Just thinking about Lucy made his eyes light up. "I wanna give her something special if I do ask."

"Like a ring?"

"Not just a ring. A gift. So she knows that this wasn't out of the blue, ya know?"

"Maybe a gate key?"

"Yeah! She would love that!"

An hour or so later, the pair had formed a plan. Mira would keep an eye out for any jobs whose payout included a key. Meanwhile Natsu was to look for a ring, something that would be just right on Lucy's finger. Something that suited her perfectly.

It was late when Happy flew Natsu back to Lucy's place. When she didn't respond to his tapping, he opened the window, climbed in...

And immediately saw her sleeping at her desk, pen still in hand. He read what she had been writing, saw the tender words expressing her feelings, and wanted to kiss her then and there.

He DIDN'T want to wake her up, though. So he lifted her up from the chair, cradling her carefully as he crossed the room. Settled her down on her bed, covered her with the blanket. Then lay down next to her, kissed her forehead.

Of course, that's when she stirred. Opened one sleep clouded eye.

"Huh? Nassu? Whazzat for?"

"Oh, nothin'. I just read what you wrote, that's all."

"Oh...you're an ass. But you're my ass so that's okay." She snuggled closer, rested her head on his chest.

Within seconds she was fast asleep again.

He knew then and there, this is how it should be. Laying side by side, cuddling and keeping her safe even in sleep.

If he could spend the rest of his life by her side, he knew he would be content...


	11. Leaving so soon?

The next morning they ate breakfast at the hall. Lucy leafed through a bestiary while Natsu devoured several pigs worth of bacon. He pretended to be engrossed in his food but he kept watching her and smiling.

Or at least he did until Mira walked by and snuck something into his hand.

A job request? He opened it, glanced at the description, then noticed the reward.

His eyes immediately widened.

Jewels and a zodiac key...could it be...?

He shot a quick glance at Mira, who nodded as discreetly as possible before turning her attention to customers.

"Hey what's that?" Lucy pointed to the flyer.

"Just a job I'm taking."

"Oh cool. When do we leave?"

"We don't. I'm going alone."

"Wait, what do you mean, alone?"

"You'll see when I get back. I have to take this job by myself."

Lucy pouted. As strong as she is, it took a lot for her not to cry right now.

"Natsu..." Tears welled up. Dammit dammit dammit!

"Luce, trust me. Please." A kiss, one that melted all of her protests away. "I'll be back in three days. I promise."

She exhaled slowly.

"Fine. Under two conditions. One, Happy's going with you."

"Duh." The blue cat piped up. Natsu shushed him.

"Done. What's two?"

"Hold on." She rummaged through her bag before pulling out two communications lacrima, nudging one towards him. "Two, you'll take this and keep in contact with me."

"Okay, fine. How does this thing work again?"

"Here. I'll show you."

She spent several minutes showing him how the lacrima worked. How to call, how to send messages, how to take pictures. He seemed to get it, although she knew technology wasn't his strong suit.

He fiddled with it for a moment, brows furrowed. Then Lucy's buzzed. She opened the messenger, saw a message consisting of two icons: a little dragon and a burst of flame. And she couldn't help smiling.

"Good job."

"Thanks!" Fanged grin...at least until he saw the sad look in her eyes. "What's up?"

"Are you sure you have to take this job?"

"I'm positive." He took her hand. "Luce, I can't tell you why, but it's important. Trust me."

"I do trust you, Natsu." That didn't mean she had to like the situation. Well at least they had the lacrima... "Hurry back, okay?"

"I will." Gentle, almost chaste kiss. He clasped her hand. Smiled. "See ya soon."

"Yeah..." Slowly, reluctantly, her hand slipped from his as he made his way out of the hall. Right before he opened the door she called out. "Hey Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, alright? Don't do anything stupid."

"You know me." Wave and grin as boy and exceed left the building. Despite her best efforts, Lucy couldn't help letting a few tears fall even as she smiled.

"Yeah l do know you, idiot..."


End file.
